How do you process your cymbals/rides?

[musicProd]

For me, this is always the hard part to mix. Like a lot of producers, I like to put rides on each 2 and 4 beats, which means the rides are almost always present in the mix. I normally highpass them to about 1k and then i don't know what to do next. They always "muddy" up the high end with some ringyness and resonance that I can't get rid. I've tried multiple samples, but I always get the same results. Any tips and tricks about that?

Cheers!

[Huts]

No one ever seems to take this kind of advice to heart when a nobody like myself offers it, so here it is from someone credible.

[musicProd]

No one ever seems to take this kind of advice to heart when a nobody like myself offers it, so here it is from someone credible.

That's just great! I am trying this right naow!
Thanks

[hirszu]

Use overdrive in small amounts. It may add these extra harmonics you're looking for. Experiment with the settings. Remember to hi-pass the sound (again) after using overdrive, as it will add unnecessary low frequencies.
Use EQ wisely. Check what frequencies are peaking in your cymbal sample, and then, in order to make space for the sound, cut them out in other sounds occupying a similar frequency spectrum (e.g. hats).
Give the sound its place in the mix by using panning or a stereo widener.

[hellagargoyle]

great repost milo & otis is spot on.

[nowaysj]

Dude, I have such a hard time with this. I usually only use closed hats, an occasional open hat.

Rides, crashes, splashes... very hard for me to get right. Best thing, like said above, eq and compress, maybe some other distortion whatever, but keep a few reference tracks with cymbals you like. A/B for perspective.

This so huge. A/B for perspective. Sometimes I've got something really quiet, I A/B, and my thing is still really loud. It just takes experience.

I find most of everything is just volume balancing. You've got to get things set right, and in the end, small differences in relative volume have a huge impact. It is tricky. Time and experience.

I'm open to more tips though.

[legend4ry]

I just find one what works with the track, wack it really low in the mix and EQ out the bottom in. Sometimes I add a 1/4 or a 1/8 delay (1/3 then a 1/6 works nice too!) to help it shimmer out.

[Think_Dubstep]

yeah i agree with exactly what kill the noise and milo and otis said. i usually throw a highpass because some samples have some low end in them. then i usually make them pretty quiet where they barely are there. in the clubs the highs are going to be the loudest frequency hitting your ears. Just remember that a ride and crash will usually cut through the mix just because of the nature of high frequency. (If you like a certain ride because of the highmids, keep it in there! just find on a spectrum where the mid artifact you like is then cut all the rest of the lows right where the artifact is!)

[pulsewaves4stopsines]

For rides, I usually just use some overdrive, or other distortion depending on what feel I'm going for, douse in plate reverb, eq, and high pass, then mix it really low. I just keep it simple. Get a good sample, and I usually have no need to spend a half hour on it. For crashes and other stuff, I dunno. I usually only use crashes like if I'm layering it with a kick, kind of an old school hip hop thing (which I really suck at so I won't pretend to give any advice here.)

If your cymbals are muddying up your high end, maybe you have too much going on up there? I usually never have too much that conflicts with cymbals tbh. Maybe look at what else you could eq to make room for your cymbals. Pads are usually suspect, especially if they have a lot of high harmonics. Snares are also known culprits if you've got a snare hitting with a cymbal on the same beat.

[DrGatineau]

I wouldn't use overdrive personally or any distortion for cymbals. These are really one of the easier sounds to get to sit well in the mix. I would first do a lowcut at like 200-500 hz or somewhere in that ballpark cause any low frequency content is just eating up headroom and contributing basically nothing to your tune.

Then I'd maybe do a bit of compression - on an individual cymbal and/or on a cymbal or drum bus. Maybe a little more EQ'ing (mainly shelving) to boost or attenuate the highs or a notch to remove an annoying frequency.

Finally some reverb is usually nice. Maybe delay depending on the way you're using the sample in the tune.

That's pretty much it.

[nowaysj]

Here we go, like some classic kung fu fight we're going to ramble through dsf, from subforum to subforum, kicking at each other.

any low frequency content is just eating up headroom and contributing basically nothing to your tune.

That depends on what you're doing. A ride can have a bunch of low end. It can be harmonic and/or inharmonic. It can significantly contribute to the ride's sound and position within the mix, depending on the genre, the song, or the mix. For busy, crushed dnb mixes, yeah, totally cutting out parts of sound may be in order, but that is not always the case. Best advice is to be aware, listen, make your adjustments and evaluate what sounds best, what works best.

Anyway,

[cyclopian]

Also, you dont always have to use a 'cymbal' or any other standard drum kit piece in your tune. If you are already having clashing freq's, maybe think about not adding more sound in and working with what you have going already. Dont feel the need to add certain sounds or elements just because they are standard.

#norulez

[DrGatineau]

Here we go, like some classic kung fu fight we're going to ramble through dsf, from subforum to subforum, kicking at each other.

any low frequency content is just eating up headroom and contributing basically nothing to your tune.

That depends on what you're doing. A ride can have a bunch of low end. It can be harmonic and/or inharmonic. It can significantly contribute to the ride's sound and position within the mix, depending on the genre, the song, or the mix. For busy, crushed dnb mixes, yeah, totally cutting out parts of sound may be in order, but that is not always the case. Best advice is to be aware, listen, make your adjustments and evaluate what sounds best, what works best.

Anyway,

i hadn't even noticed you posted in this thread, if you thought i was talking to you. there were two other people that mentioned using overdrive

i was more talking about a hihat. yeah, rides and crashes have more lower frequencies though.

*forced smiley face*

[hirszu]

Hey, I was just talking like 3-5% of overdrive, and applied to a specific frequency range. I find it can sometimes add nice harmonics to percussive sounds. I agree though, maybe it isn't necessary with cymval sounds

[nowaysj]

if you thought i was talking to you.

I didn't. I was taking issue with what you said regarding rides having no useful low frequency information. I was hoping that my comment wouldn't be taken in the context of our continuing 'misunderstandings'.

But I see that that is not possible.

Is english your second language?

[DrGatineau]

yeah


you're paranoid bro. just relax

[Huts]

I usually don't do anything to my rides, maybe I'll EQ some lows out but 9/10 I just find a good sample chuck it, lower the volume, and keep it moving. Finding a sample that fits the track you're making is 99% of the battle. Everything else (unless you're reverb/delaying for effect) just seems like overthinking imo.

[Samuel_L_Damnson]

Yea just a high pass. Send reverb and delay usually too. I'll compress if I'm making a hip hop tune but I won't if not

[rockonin]

Highpass Eq-Compress- Reverb-Delay-Saturation

[fragments]

Every time I read a thread like this on DSF I feel like everyone over processes the shit out of everything...